for the children of Israel to be timely warned against such blindness and infatuation. He rodotus says of the Persians, that of all things rivers were held in the highest veneration. They worshipped them, and offered to theni sacrifices: nor would they suffer any thing to be thrown into them, that could possibly pollute their waters. The like obtained among the Medes, Parthians, and the Sarmatians. We read in Homer of the sanctity, in which rivers were held in Greece. Among these more especially were the Spercheius, Peneüs, 'Acheloüs, and Alpheüs. The last had altars, and sacrifices offered to him in common with 'Diana. The Phrygians made the like offerings to the Marsyas and Mæander. • Σεξονται ποταμες μαλισα. 1. 1. c. 138. p. 69. • Ες ποταμιον δε ουτε ενερεσσι, ουτε εμπτύεσι, οι χειρας εναπενιζονται, ουδε αλλον έδενα περιορωσι. Herod. 1. 1. c. 138. p. 69. 3 The two great objects of worship seem to have been Fire and Water. Τι μοι Σαυροματας καταλεγειν, ὡς Νυμφοδωρος ἐν τοις Νομιμοις βαρώκρίκοις το πυρ σεβειν ισορει η τους Πέρσας, και τες Μηδες, και τες Μαγες; θυειν εν ὑπαιθρῳ τετὸς ὁ Δινων λέγει, θεων αγαλματα μονα το πυρ και ύδωρ νομιζοντες. Clem. Alex. Cohort. p. 56. Parthis-præcipua amnibus veneratio. Justin. 1. 41. c. 3. Juratur ab illis, Ignis et unda deus. Sidonius Apollin. carm. 2. p. 245. * To this river Achilles had preserved his fine hair for an offering. Homer. Il. *. v. 142. 5 Εσι πε και ποταμοις τιμη, ώσπερ Αιγυπτιοις προς τον Νειλον ὡς Θετταλοις προς τον Πηνειον, ὡς Αιτωλοις προς τον Αχελώον, κ. τ. λ. Maximus Tyrius, Diss. 8. p. 79. But no nation carried their reverence to such an extravagant degree of idolatry, as the Egyptians. They looked upon their river not only as consecrated to a deity; but, if we may believe some authors, as their chief national god: and worshipped it accordingly. The people above Syene stiled the Nile Siris, and Sirius, which was the name of Osiris, 412. Αλφειῳ και Αρτεμιδι θύουσιν επι ένος βωμε. Pausan. 1. 5. p. Εν Ολυμπιᾳ δε ὁ Αλφειος τη Αρτεμιδι συναφίδρυται. Scholia upon first Nem. Ode of Pindar, p. 321. * Φρυγες, οι περι Κελαινας νεμομενοι τιμεσι ποταμός δυο, Μαρσυαν και Μαιανδρον θυεσι φρυγες τοις ποταμοις. Max. Tyr. Diss. 8. p. 87. 3 The words of Heliodorus are remarkable. Θεοπλασ8σι τον Νειλον Αιγυπτιοι, και Κρειττονων τον Μεγισον αγουσι, αντιμιμον ουρανε τον ποταμον σεμνηγορουντες. Æthiop. 1. 9. p. 423. 4 They were the Ethiopians. Σιρις ὑπ Αιθιοπων κικλήσκεται. Dionys. v. 223. Nilus-etiamnum Siris nominatus per aliquot millia. Pliny, 1. v. c. ix. p. 255. Συηνη πόλις μεση Αιγυπτε και Αιθιοπίας επι τῳ Νειλῳ, μεθ ̓ ἦν ωνόμασαι Σιρίς ὁ ποταμος. Steph. Byzant. Σειριος ὁ Ηλιος. Hesych. and Suidas. Σείριος Ηέλιος. Orph. Argonautics, v. 118. Τον Όσιριν Σειρίον. Diodor. 1. 1. p. 11. C 2 and the Sun: and upon solemn occasions made invocations to it as their chief' guardian and protector. They supposed, that it gave birth to all their deities, who were born upon its banks: and that the Nile was particularly the father of Vulcan, Ηφαισος. Hence there were temples erected to his honour; and a city called after his name, Nilopolis; in which he was particularly worshipped: and there were festivals and rites, stiled 6 4 Σειρ. Σιρος ὁ Ἥλιος, και Σειριος. Suidas. Όσιρις εσιν ὁ Νειλος. Euseb. Præp. Evan. 1. 3. c. 11. p. 116. Scholiast upon Pindar-Τον Νειλον αντι το Διος φησιν, επειδη παρά τοις Αιγυπτιοις τιμάται (ὁ Νειλος) ὡς Θεος. - Κρονίδην τον Νείλον φησιν, ὡς Παρμενων--------Αιγυπτιε Ζευ, Νειλε. Pind. Pyth. Ode 4. v. 99. р. 219. 3 -ποταμον Νειλον, προς ᾧ και τας των θέων γενεσεις ὑπαρξαι. Diod. Sic. 1. 1. p. 12. 4 Diog. Laertius in Procœmio. Vulcanus Nilo natus. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. c. 22. p. 1241. Gronov. 5 Νειλε πολις (ητοι Νειλεπολις) Αιγύπτε, - Και Ἱερον Νειλε ποταμε. Steph. Byzant. from Hecatœus. Ο Ανεγνων δε παρα Αριζαινετῳ τῷ ἱςορικῳ, ̔οςις ίσορει, ότι ἑορταζεσιν Αιγυπτιοι τω Νειλῳ, ἑορτην πανδημει παντες και πασαι. χορουστε συσησαμενοι αδουσι τῷ Νειλῳ ωδας ὡς τῳ Διι ᾳδουσιν. Nonni Synagoge apud Greg. Nazianz. cont. Jul. edit. Etonens. p. 168, 169. • Neiloa Sacra, which were observed all over Egypt. As they received so much benefit from their river, they held water in general sacred, as * Julius Firmicus has observed:Ægypti incolæ, aquarum beneficia percipientes, aquam colunt, aquis supplicant, aquas superstitiosâ veneratione prosequuntur. Antiquity of this Worship. These superstitions, and this veneration for the river prevailed, as we may presume, even in the time of Moses. This may be inferred from the like notions being to be found in the most early ages among the Syrians and Babylonians. The same prevailed in Greece. They were brought over to the last region by colonies from Egypt; and appear to have been of very early date. The ancient Grecians supposed many of their kings and 3 heroes to have been the offspring of rivers: and the Sea, or Oceanus, was esteemed the father of their gods. This was borrowed from Egypt, for the natives of that country esteemed the Nile to be the ocean, and called it in very ancient times by that name. They pronounced it Oceames, or rather Oceanes-Ωκεανης, which by the Greeks was rendered 3 Ωκεανος, Oceanus, and from hence they deduced their deities. There was therefore a great propriety in the judgment brought upon this people by Moses. They must have felt the utmost astonishment and horror, when they beheld their sacred stream changed and polluted: and the divinity whom they worshipped so shamefully foiled and debased. And these appearances must have had a salutary effect upon the Israelites; as they were hence warned not to accede to this species of idolatry: but to have it ever in contempt, as well as abhor 'Heliodorus Æthiop. 1. 9. p. 424. * P. 3. I believe, in many of these instances, it was to the deity, from whom the river had its name, that these rites and honours were directed. Yet the Nile undoubtedly was highly reverenced. * Pelias, Neleus, Achilles. rence. • Ωκεανον τε θεών γενεσιν και μητέρα Τηθύν. Homer. II. 1. ξ. v. 201. * Οι γαρ Αιγυπτιοι νομίζεσιν Ωκεανον ειναι τον παρ' αυτοίς ποταμον Νειλον. Diod. 1. 1. p. 12. 3 Τον δε ποταμον άρχαιότατον μεν ονομα σχειν Ωκεανην, ός εσιν ἑλληνισι Ωκεανος. Ibid. p. 17. From hence we may learn that the rites imported from Egypt to Greece were of very early date. |